Quiet Places
by DarkBlueMint
Summary: Mikoto tries to find somewhere to contemplate her sadness, but Shizuru decides to help. MaiMikoto.


**Quiet Places**

By: DarkBlue Mint

Disclaimer: Well, if I owned it... I would keep Shizuru for me, I'm sure that I'll value her better than Natsuki.

Notes: So the fict that I posted yesterday wasn't as popular as the others, so here's a new one... Actually I was listening to this old song and the idea was born. In happy news my heart seems to be doing well with the new medication, so the fact that that has me ecstatic may have something to do with my creativity too. Although, I have been kinda posting a fic a week so maybe there's something else that has to do with my creativity.

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The party was still going behind her, nevertheless the balcony where she had hidden was mostly quiet; except of course for the common noises of the night, but she had grown accustomed to the point that they lulled her to a meditative state. The young kendo master wasn't commonly taciturn, normally she liked parties, except this one, she hated this one. She wasn't the only one; Shiho had only been in the room for twenty minutes before leaving, Nao had gone with her so she could: "stop her if she tries to do something stupid". Mikoto was glad; Shiho had suffered more than other HiMEs, while most of them had found some support in their most important persons, and the fact that they were back, Shiho had been alone. Until the day that Nao got tired of finding her sighing in the church and became her 'not her friend'. It was actually ironic that instead of wallowing in her pain she thought about the other one's pain.

The door behind her opened and the youngest of the Minagi turned to the being interrupting her contemplations. Golden eyes met deep red ones. Here was another who suffered for love. Everyone had waited for the time that Kuga Natsuki confessed her feelings for the former kaicho; everyone knew exactly where the girl's heart lays except herself. So Shizuru had burdened herself with waiting until the time that the epiphany came to her love. Mikoto had been willing to wait as much as Shizuru had for Natsuki, but whilst Shizuru still had time the kendoka had not.

"Kaicho-san." Shizuru gave a small smile to the acknowledgment, the dark haired girl was owner and master of her own dojo, and yet she called her by the title she had in Fuuka Gakuen. It was funny how most HiMEs still referred to her by her former designation, it was funnier by the fact the Yukino, who had replaced her as kaicho, was one of them.

"It's very strange to see Mikoto-chan without her honest smile or her happy eyes." Said the light haired girl while walking to the balustrade and supporting herself there. "On the other hand, today is a sad day for her, is it not?"

"Mm," the small nod that accompanied the sound was familiar and made Shizuru's small smile stay in place. Though only for a second as a loud 'congratulations' was heard in the balcony and she remembered why the dark haired girl was hiding in the balcony. The look of pain that appeared at the happiness that came from inside was alien in someone like Mikoto.

"I'm sorry. I'm not very good in offering comfort," repented Shizuru with a sad smile.

"And yet, you and Shiho are the only ones who could comprehend." The wisdom in the statement surprised Shizuru, until she remembered who the brother of the kendoka was. Reito was always one for such sad contemplations, and apparently Mikoto had inherited that trait too, albeit a little more hidden. "It's not their engagement what's hurting me. It's just that she never let me tell her."

"Tell her?" Surprise at finding herself in the confidence of the girl.

"That I love her," whispered Mikoto while lifting her eyes to the stars. "Well, I told her, but she always made it seem as if it was innocent. Little Mikoto, always innocent, can't feel for me the same as Yuichi. And she is right I don't feel the same as him. I feel for her so much more." Mikoto put her face in her hands. "And yet, I couldn't make her understand."

"Maybe Mikoto-chan should have kissed her." An incredulous look and a wry smile was her answer and Shizuru was happy that the sadness in the golden eyes seemed to recede, although not the resignation. "Something that my Natsuki did once, to shock me awake. It was a bittersweet awakening."

"I'm sorry, kaicho. If you wish I have a bokken that might shock your Natsuki awake." Both girls laughed at imagining the scene, and Shizuru understood what exactly Tokiha was losing if she let Mikoto go like this, what young Mikoto will lose.

Perhaps she only wanted to help the girl because they were in the same situation, albeit a little different. She was a little bit luckier; Natsuki not only knew her feelings but also the depth of those feelings. Mai, instead, had chosen to ignore or didn't comprehend about Mikoto's. The girl didn't only deserve a second chance to explain herself, she also needed it. If Mai didn't loved her back she had to say it plainly or the kendoka could never heal of this heartbreak.

"Will Mikoto-chan wait here for a little while? There's something that Mikoto needs to do and I will ensure that she does it." A questioning look was her only answer. "Please, wait here. Trust me."

"Mm." With that nod Shizuru disappeared.

--

Again the noises of the night were her company. She couldn't figure out why exactly something in her trusted the kaicho implicitly, but something in her eyes had reminded her of her brother; maybe because she had the same look Reito had when she told him that she would come to the engagement party. Or, if she was honest with herself, because she hopped that Shizuru would have a better answer than Reito's "let her go". She didn't know, but she waited.

When the door opened behind her, she knew that it was somebody else other than Shizuru. Turning around her eyes found Mai's. The woman was beautiful, the smile in her face was questioning why Mikoto was there, but even that make her gorgeous. Mikoto couldn't help the smile that always blossomed when she set her eyes on the redhead.

"Mikoto?" It was so amazing, the way she said her name. "Shizuru said you had to tell me something?"

And just like that Mikoto appreciated what Shizuru wanted. Most people had always assumed that she wasn't smart, but they were wrong; it was true that the girl wasn't one of the brightest students, not even her denied that. But what only few people knew was that she had been raised since she was a baby to be a warrior; so all the intelligence she had had been aimed to fuel that purpose. It was, of course, warrior instincts the ones that helped her assess the situation. Shizuru wanted her to confess, and this time to do it in a way that Mai couldn't ignore. She sent a small "thank you" to the absent kaicho and a promise that she wouldn't waste this chance.

"Mai. I--." A deep breath. Why it had been so easy to say before but now the words lodged in her throat. And Mai looked so happy, who was her to steal that happiness from her? Everything, but not a coward. "I love you, Mai."

"I love you too, Mikoto." The happy smile, the amethyst eyes on her. Still so blind, still so sleep.

"NO! I--." What she needed was to wake her. So taking a page from Natsuki's book she took the necessary steps to be close to Mai, put her right hand in the back of her head, guided it to her and gave Mai a kiss filled with all the passion that she had inside. When the kiss stopped Mai could only blink. "I love you like that, Mai, for so long, so long."

"Mikoto! It's my engagement party!" Said Mai the moment her brain got back from... wherever that kiss had sent her. "You can't confess your love in someone's engagement party. You should have told me bef--."

"I told you before! So many times, that I lost count!" Mikoto couldn't believe that they were yelling, luckily the music and sounds from the party shielded them from the guests.

"You didn't--. You're too young to--." Mai couldn't accept that they were having this discussion now.

"Young? I'm only two years younger than you, Mai. But I done things you can't imagine and I know so much more things that you don't." She grabbed Mai's hand and put it in her chest, over her wildly beating heart. "And what I know is that I love you, right here in my heart you are the only one." When she let go of Mai's hand it clenched on her shirt. "When I fought in the carnival what I did wasn't for him, I was trained all my life to be all for him. And yet the moment I met you that changed, you are my most important person Mai hime. And I love you." The tears were making it difficult to talk, but there was more she had to say. "And I know it's late, and I know it's an important day for you, and I know it's selfish. But it's time that you choose Mai if you are his, or mine."

"Choose?" Her voice was hoarse because all the tears.

Why was this happening today? Why couldn't she grasp before what the girl had been trying to say? And choose? Right now when her brain could barely make what had happened? And that kiss, that kiss had spun her world off its axis. Who knew that Mikoto was such a good kisser, and where had she learned to kiss like that!? That last thought made her mad. It made her crazy with ire and jealousy; the idea of someone else kissing Mikoto, touching her, doing _things_ with her. And even though she had that small proof that her feelings for the girl were more than sisterly; she couldn't forget about Tate Yuichi, the man that she had agreed to marry just a small week ago, he was a good guy. The guy who had been with her, or at least tried to, when all the craziness' of the carnival had gotten...

The carnival was her answer; no HiME had had a dead person for a key. Most of them thought that Natsuki was lying to herself and that her most important person had always been Shizuru; she had just been lying to herself until the very end. And yet, when Tate had died she had kept Kagutsuchi; the only person close to her heart still alive after that was Mikoto. Maybe she had deluded herself, but how could she know for sure in just minutes? Then she became aware of a small detail that she had refused to acknowledge, her hand was still clutching Mikoto's shirt. Stopping her from leaving, stopping both of them from leaving.

"I'm yours. Though I don't know if I can say I love you in that context yet, know that I do." The smile that bloomed in Mikoto's face made the answer worthwhile; the fact that her own heart had started to beat more assuredly than it did when she was with Yuichi, was also a reassurance. "Tate!"

"What about him?" Fear was palpable in Mikoto's voice, the kendoka couldn't get why those simple words seemed to destroy her happiness. But Mai was fast in reassuring her.

"I was going to marry him. I live with him." Mai took a steadying breath. "When I leave him I would have nowhere to go, nowhere to live."

"Come with me then." The smile was back. "Live with me." Before the redhead could interrupt Mikoto pressed on. "I know that we have a lot to talk about, that the relationship we have it's not going to change in a day. I might be innocent in some things, but not an idiot. There's enough room in my house so you could be, while we figure everything out." The smile changed form gentle to mischievous. "We don't have to have sex until you're ready."

"Mikoto!" The blush almost matched her hair. Then amethyst eyes turned serious. "I have to tell Yuichi."

"I will wait until you are ready. Take your--" Mikoto was quickly interrupted.

"Tonight, right now. I can't wait. It's not like I have to think a lot about my feelings for you, I'm sure about what I feel now." The redhead looked honestly at her. "Mikoto I know that what I feel for you is much more than what I feel for him. It may seem that I came hastily to that conclusion, but it's the truth. And Yuichi deserves to know." A sigh and a small smile. "Wait for me?"

"Always."

--

It took an hour for the balcony door to open again and interrupt her silence for the third time. This time the kendoka was concentrated enough to guess the steps of the intruder before they spoke.

"Kaicho." The fact that Shizuru stopped walking to the balustrade for a complete second was the only testimony that she was surprised.

"Mikoto-chan. Did Mai-san come here? Did you talk?" A brisk nod was her answer. "And how it went?" An honest smile and happy golden eyes found hers.

"I kissed her. Mai is talking to Tate. She's telling him that Mai is coming with me." Shizuru noted that the girl countenance had also changed, before she looked like a defeated warrior, now it seemed as if she could challenge an army of Orphans and come victorious.

"Congratulations then." Said Shizuru with a smile.

"Mm. Maybe now Shiho would have luck with Tate, maybe he will stop being dazzled by Mai." The girl seemed to affirm that idea to the stars.

"Dazzled?" Shizuru knew where this was going and couldn't help a small giggle.

"Mai has two big reasons to help her dazzled him." Both girls started laughing. Mikoto became faux serious. "But they are my reasons, you have your own."

"Of course, and not to offend but I prefer my reasons to yours. Your reasons are too big for me." Before Mikoto could answer the quip the door opened behind them. They both turned to see Mai approaching them.

"Kaicho-san I didn't know you were here." Mai voice sounded strained, but the redhead spared a grateful smile for Shizuru. "Thank you, for helping us, for what you did."

"I didn't do anything Mai-san. Now if you excuse me, I think that the party is going to be over soon, I better go and find my Natsuki." With that the former kaicho started walking to the door.

Mai's words made Mikoto think Shizuru _had_ helped them. She had seen the need that Mikoto had to explain herself for one last time, had told Mai to come here, and she had gave her the tool that the kendoka had used to wake the redhead. She wanted to do something to repay the favor. But a look at Mai told that she needed to rest, this night had been incredibly emotional. She couldn't hit Natsuki with a bokken, but there was something that she could say.

"Kaicho, if she woke you once it's time you return the favor." After those words Mikoto started to guide Mai to the stairs that led to the patio.

Shizuru watched them for a moment until their shadows blended with the night. Then she nodded to herself, Mikoto was right. It was time for her to wake Natsuki. And she was going to do it exactly like Mikoto.

**End.**

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More Notes: Too long, like 2,500+ words. Too much for me, took me three and a half hours to write, broke my brain. I hope it's good. Forgive grammar, tried my best. Maybe a small ShizNat sequel sometime, but it's not sure, it all depends on Shiho.


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